Las Vegas: Just in time for Cirque week, a new Cirque show

A new Cirque du Soleil show has opened at Aria, bringing to seven the number of Cirque shows along the Las Vegas Strip, which could almost be called Cirque City.

The new acrobatic extravaganza is called “Zarkana,” and its website describes it as "an acrobatic rock experience that blends circus arts with the surreal."

If grabbing tickets to the latest “must see” show in Vegas isn’t enough, December will bring an opportunity for fans to absorb the magic of a multitude of Cirque productions, plus a by-invitation-only screening of a special film.

The third annual Cirque Week in Sin City runs Dec. 1-8, allowing pass holders admission to various shows and exclusive events. They include a sneak preview screening of “Worlds Away,” a 3D, behind-the-scenes look at Vegas’ various Cirque spectaculars.

The film, brought to the big screen by Paramount Pictures and famed filmmaker James Cameron, is written and directed by Academy Award nominee Andrew Adamson. It opens in theaters Dec. 21.

Cirque Week package prices range from $150, for two shows, to $540, which includes tickets to all seven shows, including “Zarkana.”

The newest show replaces “Viva Elvis,” the only Cirque du Soleil production in Sin City to fail. The theater inside Aria, at CityCenter, has been refitted to meet the needs of the new production.

Rather than hitching its wagon to another musical icon--as Cirque has done successfully with The Beatles’ “Love” at The Mirage--the new addition returns to the original formula: an oblique theme, an amplified score and a collection of many of the most talented acrobats ever assembled on a single stage.

Tickets to “Zarkana,” which opened this month, range from $69 to $180, excluding entertainment tax and service fee.